By Nick on Thursday, October 02, 2014

​When we walk around our LEED® Gold certified headquarters, we often feel like we’re trekking through the woods. Our living wall boasts more than a dozen plant species, our vegetated roof sports a thick layer of shrubs and grasses, and our parking lot directs runoff into a nearby stream (cool, huh?).

Late this summer, the natural beauty of our campus shed light on a beautiful natural process: the butterfly life cycle. That’s right—just outside the doors of our Distribution Center, nearly a dozen caterpillars formed their chrysalises, or the hardened outer layer that starts their transition from caterpillar to butterfly. Our team of coworkers documented the process from start to finish.

A few weeks ago, we noticed a crew of Monarch butterflies swarming around our milkweed plants. The beautiful orange-and-black-patterned butterflies immediately caught our attention, so we decided to cue into the process. Before long, the butterflies laid their eggs on our milkweed, giving life to several black-and-white-banded caterpillars. Finally, after feasting on our milkweed for several weeks, these caterpillars gradually formed their emerald-green chrysalises, preparing for life as Monarch butterflies.

These green cases hung from our outdoor artwork until the caterpillars emerged, one-by-one, as breath-taking butterflies. And just like that, our Distribution Center served as the sight of butterfly birth, from tiny larvae to full-fledged Monarch.

At times, we walk from meeting to meeting without stopping to notice the natural beauty that surrounds us. And then, when we least expect it, nature gives us a bold example of its stunning behind-the-scenes processes.

To learn more about our LEED® Gold certified facilities, and take a “guided tour” of their sustainable features, visit Dansko.com.